SBVA Reinstates the 'Vision Fund DNA' and Expands Its U.S. and Southeast Asia Investment Reach [fn Market Watch]

[Financial News] SoftBank Ventures Asia (SBVA), which became independent from SoftBank Group Corp., is expanding its global investment footprint by placing former SoftBank Vision Fund investment specialists at the forefront. Beyond simply strengthening its team, the firm is accelerating efforts to build a global investment platform after independence, including new funds and co-investments centered on the United States and Southeast Asia.
According to the venture capital industry on the 27th, SBVA has hired former SoftBank Vision Fund partner Chris Lee and former investment director Kaz Yoshimaru as venture partners.
Their roles are divided by region. Lee will focus on Southeast Asia, using his experience in Asian growth investments to identify co-investment opportunities, launch new funds, and support portfolio companies' local expansion. He previously worked at CVC Capital Partners, GIC, and the SoftBank Vision Fund, where he led investments in Asian growth companies such as Yanolja, Carro, and bKash.
Yoshimaru will oversee the U.S. investment track. At the Vision Fund's U.S. investment team, he handled investments in global tech companies including Databricks, Wiz, Perplexity AI, and Sierra. At SBVA, he is expected to lead strategic advisory and structuring for a new fund aimed at U.S. startup investments.
The investment banking industry sees the hires as a sign that SBVA is moving to expand its global investment business in earnest after becoming independent. SBVA began in 2000 as SoftBank Ventures under SoftBank Group and became independent in 2023 when it was acquired by Singapore investment firm The Edgeof. It currently manages about 3 trillion won in assets and invests in more than 100 portfolio companies worldwide.
In particular, the appointments are seen as a move to strengthen cross-border investment capabilities that go beyond the traditional role of a domestic VC identifying local startups, linking overseas deal sourcing, local market entry, and global fundraising.
An industry source said, "In the global VC market, local deal-sourcing networks and the ability to support follow-on growth are becoming as important as capital strength." The source added, "The arrival of people who have directly handled growth companies in the U.S. and Asia at the Vision Fund will also help SBVA with overseas investments and fundraising."
Lee Jun-pyo, CEO of SBVA, emphasized, "Based on the global investment experience and networks of the two venture partners, we will further strengthen our role in connecting the global technology ecosystem with Asian markets."
[email protected] Kim Kyung-a Reporter